The Carolina Sandhills Lines in HO Scale

[Point353]

I actually mixed a little sand into the ballast (at least on the portion on the far side of that turnout- I forgot to do so on this side), so a little more wouldn't hurt.

Thanks,
DFF

Perhaps you didn't forget, after all, because the loco(s) would have a tendency to slip only when most of train is on the grade, which would only occur when the motive power is on the far/uphill side of the turnout.

[davefoxx]

This is true, but the loco(s) are also pulling around a sharp curve at the bottom of the grade.  When my model locomotives fall down on that grade, it’s when the power is just exiting that curve into the straightaway.

DFF

[davefoxx]

I made a trip to Yankee Dabbler this afternoon and came across a couple of spray bombs of Testor’s discontinued Flat Light Aircraft Gray, which is my go-to color for concrete.  I snagged them up.  I’ve already masked and repainted the sidewalks to cover the Tamiya Deck Tan that I did not like.



Fixed!  Thank goodness.  This resolves an issue that was really bothering me.  I’ll give the paint a few days to cure, and then I’ll weather it with washes and/or chalks, as I did the rest of the sidewalks in Aberdeen.

DFF

[CRL]

I finally terraformed the area around the small parking lot inside the wye.  The result?  A flowering crabapple tree and some tulips.



While I was at it, I touched up the ballast and ground cover around the road crossing and approaches, which filled some serious voids.



DFF

You need a phone booth between the flower beds.


Wait for it…


Jim Reeves thanks you.

[davefoxx]

@Philip H was kind enough to send me an Athearn Blue Box SD40-2 decorated for his favorite road, the Kansas City Southern.  It suffered from cracked gears and couldn't even pull itself when I first received it.  I ordered some trucks, which, unfortunately, turned out to be Athearn Genesis trucks that are not a direct swap.  D'oh!  So, I stole the guts from the trucks to replace the wheelsets/gears and the worms.  By doing that, all of the bearings in the drivetrain (except for motor bearings) were replaced, and the wheels were a significant upgrade from the old Athearn sintered wheelsets.  For sh!ts and giggles, I also added a LokSound V5.0 decoder, speaker, and LED lights.  Oh, it's a bit of a growler still, but it can now pull stumps.

Thanks, Philip!
DFF

[davefoxx]

A crappy test video of a cab ride to check out the newest scenery along the original NS line.  Needs moar backdrop, but it's coming along.

DFF

[Missaberoad]

Very nice! I especially like the kudzu climbing the telegraph poles!

[davefoxx]

Another step closer to tearing this layout down and building that Southern Ry. Saluda Grade layout.   



Seriously, it works out perfect that the Southern Ry. purchased the original Norfolk Southern Ry. in 1974, so I can run SOU motive power on this line when I'm running the mid-1970s to early 1980s era on the layout.

DFF

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Beauties! But not as beautiful as that GG1.

[davefoxx]

Beauties! But not as beautiful as that GG1.

Can anything outdo a zebra-striped GG1?

DFF

[Ed Kapuscinski]

For those of you lucky enough to have never seen it.

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[Dave V]

For those of you lucky enough to have never seen it.

(Attachment Link)

In case anyone was wondering when it’s appropriate to downvote…. 

[Missaberoad]

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[mu26aeh]

Don't give the graffiti artists any ideas, that's worst than the UP Beast unit

[dem34]

For those of you lucky enough to have never seen it.

Didn't know the Pennsy took the U Boat threat so seriously.